. >> guest: like california today. seward is the founding father of the republican party. this is only the second presidential election the republican party participated in. seward is the dominant figure in the republican party. it's sort of his -- he is more significant than any two other figures in the party combined. chase, another alternative, is the man chiefly responsible for the republican party's power in ohio and, in fact, much of the midwest -- >> host: also a big state. >> guest: even in those days as it is today, and, still, perhaps america's one -- one of america's most famous anti-slavery advocates, a radical abolitionist. he didn't start that way, but at this point he was. seward, not radical on anti-slavery issues was perceived that way because of a series of speeches he gave viewed as inflammatory. lincoln, on the other hand, because he did not have a national record, could convincingly portray himself as the least radical. in those days, the least anti-slavery republican, up for the race. they go it, and seward doesn't just have the advantage of being the